1. Paths to the Finals
    Pittsburgh Penguins  Nashville Predators 

2. Game summaries
    Game one  Game two  Game three  Game four  Game five  Game six 

3. Team rosters
    Pittsburgh Penguins  Nashville Predators 

4. Stanley Cup presentation and engraving
    Other eligible players  Engraving notes 

5. Aftermath

6. TV and radio

7. References

The 2017 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2016–17 season, and the culmination of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Western Conference champion Nashville Predators, four games to two. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in their opponent's rink, just like they did the previous four times.

During the regular season, the Penguins finished second in the league with 111 points, which gave them home ice advantage in the series. The series began on May 29 and concluded on June 11.^[1] The Penguins made their second consecutive Finals appearance, marking the third time in their history they had done this, following their appearances in {{scfy|1991}}–{{scfy|1992}} and {{scfy|2008}}–{{scfy|2009}}. This was the first time since 2009, a rematch between the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, that any team appeared in consecutive Finals. The Penguins also became the first team since the Red Wings (in {{scfy|1997}} and {{scfy|1998}}) to win the Stanley Cup in consecutive years and the first to do so since the introduction of the salary cap. They also became the fifth franchise to accomplish this feat more than once.

This marked the second consecutive season in which a Western Conference team made their first appearance in the Finals; the San Jose Sharks made their Finals debut the year prior. This was the first time in NHL history that two United States–born head coaches faced off against each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.^[2]

The Penguins won the first two games of the series despite being massively outshot by the Predators in both games. Nashville tied the series at two with a pair of convincing wins at home. However, Penguins goaltender Matt Murray did not allow a goal in game five or game six, which Pittsburgh won 6-0 and 2-0, respectively. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan became the third coach in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup in his first two seasons as a coach with his team, joining Pete Green of the Ottawa Senators (in {{scfy|1920}} and {{scfy|1921}}) and Toe Blake of the Montreal Canadiens (in {{scfy|1956}} and {{scfy|1957}}). This was the first Final since {{scfy|1983}} in which no game was decided by one goal, and the second Final in three years to have none of its games reach overtime.

Paths to the Finals

Pittsburgh Penguins

This was Pittsburgh's second consecutive Finals appearance, and sixth overall. The Penguins did not make any major transactions during the offseason, instead signing head coach Mike Sullivan to a three-year extension. At the deadline, Pittsburgh acquired defencemen Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit via trade, which proved helpful for depth when star Kris Letang suffered a season-ending injury just weeks before the playoffs started.

Pittsburgh finished with 111 points (50–21–11) during the regular season to finish second in the Metropolitan Division and second overall among playoff teams. Center and team captain Sidney Crosby led the Penguins with 89 points, which ranked second in the league, and won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 44 goals. Phil Kessel led the team in assists with 47.

In the playoffs, the Penguins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games, eliminated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals for a second consecutive year, this time in seven games, and edged the Ottawa Senators in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals after Chris Kunitz scored in double overtime of Game 7.^[3]

Nashville Predators

This was Nashville's first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in its 19-year history.

During the offseason, Nashville traded defenceman and long-time team captain Shea Weber to Montreal for defenceman P. K. Subban, and during the regular season, traded for forwards Cody McLeod and Vernon Fiddler. The Predators also re-signed forward Filip Forsberg during the offseason.

Nashville finished with 94 points (41–29–12) during the regular season to finish as the second wild-card team in the Western Conference, and the 16th overall and last-seeded playoff team. Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson tied for the team lead in regular-season goal-scoring with 31 each. Ryan Johansen led the team in assists with 47. Arvidsson and Johansen tied for the team lead in points with 61.

The Predators started the playoffs by upsetting the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in four games, becoming the first wild-card team in NHL history to sweep the top seed in their conference. They followed that up by eliminating the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, both in six games. Kevin Fiala and Johansen sustained serious leg injuries in the second and third rounds respectively, and both missed the remainder of the playoffs. The Predators were the third different franchise that head coach Peter Laviolette led to the Stanley Cup Finals. He won the Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, and also took the Philadelphia Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.^[4]

Game summaries

Game one

Late in the first period, penalties from Nashville forwards Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal gave Pittsburgh a full two-minute 5-on-3 power play, and Evgeni Malkin scored to make it 1–0. Just 1:15 later, Conor Sheary scored into an open net after a cross-ice pass from Chris Kunitz caught Nashville's defence off guard. In the final seconds of the period, a centring pass from Nick Bonino deflected off Mattias Ekholm and into the net to give Pittsburgh a 3–0 lead. Following Bonino's goal, the Penguins went 37 consecutive minutes without a shot on goal, including the entire second period. The Predators used power-play goals from Ryan Ellis and Colton Sissons to make it 3–2, and Frederick Gaudreau scored immediately following a Penguins power play to tie the game midway through the third. Soon afterwards, Pittsburgh's first shot since the first period resulted in a Jake Guentzel goal to give Pittsburgh the lead again. Bonino scored again into an empty net to clinch the victory for Pittsburgh.^[5]

Game two

Midway through the first, the Predators took their first-ever lead in a Stanley Cup Finals game when Pontus Aberg scored around Olli Maatta. The Penguins tied it late in the period when a Guentzel tip sneaked past Pekka Rinne. After a scoreless second period in which the Predators took twice as many shots as the Penguins, Pittsburgh came out firing in the third, scoring three goals in 3:18. The first was Guentzel's twelfth of the playoffs, making him the first rookie since Dino Ciccarelli to score twelve times in a single postseason. The next two goals came 15 seconds apart and prompted Predators head coach Peter Laviolette to replace Rinne with backup Juuse Saros. Nashville never cut into the deficit as Pittsburgh won the game by 4–1.^[6]

Game three

Jake Guentzel came within one goal of Dino Ciccarelli's rookie playoff record when a shot 2:46 into the game got past Pekka Rinne. In the second period, Roman Josi and Frederick Gaudreau scored only 42 seconds apart to quickly give Nashville the lead. Neal scored with 23 seconds left in the second to give the Predators a two-goal lead. In the third period, a breakaway by Craig Smith and a goal by Ekholm provided insurance in a 5–1 victory for Nashville. Near the end of the game, several misconducts were assessed after a cross checking by Phil Kessel drew a crowd and fights broke out.^[7]

Game four

Game five

Game six

The game remained scoreless until the final two minutes of the third period when former Predator Patric Hornqvist scored with 1:35 left in the game. Nashville challenged for goaltender interference, but the on-ice ruling was upheld. Carl Hagelin added an empty net goal with 15 seconds remaining.^[10][11]

During the second period, a quick whistle prevented a Predators' scoring chance that almost certainly would have resulted in a goal. Referee Kevin Pollock thought Murray had covered a Forsberg shot, but the puck was, in fact, loose in the goal crease.^[12]

Team rosters

Pittsburgh Penguins

Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup presentation and engraving

The Stanley Cup was presented to Penguins captain Sidney Crosby by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The following players and staff qualified to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

• 3 Olli Maatta
• 4 Justin Schultz
• 6 Trevor Daley
• 8 Brian Dumoulin
• 28 Ian Cole
• 32 Mark Streit
• 58 Kris Letang
• 65 Ron Hainsey

• 14 Chris Kunitz (A)
• 17 Bryan Rust
• 23 Scott Wilson
• 34 Tom Kuhnhackl
• 37 Carter Rowney¹
• 43 Conor Sheary
• 45 Josh Archibald
• 62 Carl Hagelin
• 72 Patric Hornqvist
• 81 Phil Kessel

• 7 Matt Cullen
• 13 Nick Bonino
• 59 Jake Guentzel¹
• 71 Evgeni Malkin (A)
• 87 Sidney Crosby (C)

• 29 Marc-Andre Fleury
• 30 Matt Murray

• ¹ Played both centre and wing.

• Mario Lemieux (Chairman/Co-Owner/Alt. Governor), Ronald Burkle (Co-Owner/Alt. Governor), William Kassling (Co-Owner/Alt. Governor),
• David Morehouse (President/Governor), Travis Williams (Chief Operating Officer/Alt. Governor), Jim Rutherford (Exe. Vice President/General Manager),
• Jason Botterill (Asst. General Manager) Bill Guerin (Asst. General Manager), Jason Karmanos (Vice President of Hockey Operations),
• Mark Recchi (Player Development Coach), Mike Sullivan (Head Coach), Rick Tocchet (Asst. Coach),
• Jacques Martin (Asst. Coach), Mike Bales (Goaltending Coach), Andy Saucier (Video Coach),
• Sergei Gonchar (Defense Coach), Dr. Dharmesh Vyas (Head Team Physician), Chris Stewart (Athletic Trainer)
• Curtis Bell (Asst. Athletic Trainer), Patrick Steidle (Asst. Athletic Trainer), Andy O'Brien (Director of Sport Science & Performance),
• Dana Heinze (Equipment Manager), J.C. Ihrig (Asst. Equipment Manager), Jon Taglianetti (Asst. Equipment Manager),
• Jim Britt (Director of Team Operations), Randy Sexton (Director of Amateur Scouting), Derek Clancey (Director of Pro Scouting).

Other eligible players

• 58 Kris Letang (D) – played 41 regular season games, missed 41 regular season games and all 25 playoff games due to injury – qualifies
• 65 Ron Hainsey (D) – played 56 games for Carolina, 16 regular season and 25 playoff games for Pittsburgh – qualifies
• 32 Mark Streit (D) – played 49 games for Philadelphia, 19 regular season games and three playoff games for Pittsburgh (all three in the Conference Finals) – did not automatically qualify but the name was engraved
• 37 Carter Rowney (RW) – played 27 regular season and 20 playoff games for Pittsburgh – qualifies.
• 45 Josh Archibald (RW) – played 61 games in AHL, 10 regular season and four playoff games for Pittsburgh (three in the Conference Finals, one in the Finals) – qualifies
• 2 Chad Ruhwedel (D) – played 34 regular season games and 11 playoff games. Missed last 2 games of Conference and all 6 games of the finals due a concussion. No injury exemption left off the cup.
• 35 Tristan Jarry (G) – dressed for 11 playoff games while Matt Murray was injured (Jarry received his second Stanley Cup ring, despite only playing one NHL game) – name not engraved on Cup

Engraving notes

• The Penguins fill the last spot on the bottom ring the Stanley Cup. The top ring, featuring winners from 1954 to 1965, was removed after the Capitals were added in 2018.

• Alex Trinca (Strength & Conditioning Coach) (on Cup in 2016)
• Danny Kroll (Assistant Equipment Manager) (on Cup in 2009)
• Sergei Gonchar was left off of the Cup in 2016. In 2017, Gonchar was included, and Alex Trinca was left off.

Aftermath

The Penguins lost in the second round 4-2 to the Washington Capitals the following season.

As for the Nashville Predators, they also lost in the second round, but to the Winnipeg Jets, 4-3.

TV and radio

In Canada, the series was broadcast by Sportsnet and simulcast by CBC Television in English, and TVA Sports in French. In the U.S., NBC broadcast most of the games; games two and three were aired by NBCSN.^[13] In the U.S., the games were seen by an average of 4.762 million viewers, an increase of 19% over the 2016 finals, and the highest-rated finals without an Original Six team. Despite competition from the 2017 Tony Awards broadcast and the return of ABC's Sunday-night game show block, game six achieved a total viewership of 7.086 million.^[14]

The NHL on Westwood One/NBC Sports Radio carried the games throughout the United States on radio and through online streaming,^[15] while the home calls of Nashville (WPRT-FM/Predators Radio Network) and Pittsburgh (WXDX-FM/Penguins Radio Network) was available both over the air in their home markets and through online streaming.

References

• From Hare to Heir
• From hare to heir
• From Hare To Heir
• ...from Hell
• From Hell (comic)
• From Hell (comic book)
• From Hell (film)
• From Hell (graphic novel)
• From Hell It Came
• From hell it came
• From hell letter
• "From Hell" letter
• From Hell (letter)
• From Hell (television series)
• From here and on
• From Here and On
• From Here And On
• From Here on In (DVD album)
• From Here on In (South album)
• From Here On In – The DVD 1997–2004
• From here to eternity
• From Here to Eternity (book)
• From Here to Eternity (disambiguation)
• From Here to Eternity (Giorgio Moroder album)
• From Here to Eternity (Iron Maiden song)